50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
High Dollar tipping required ??
Good day
It has come to our attention by a couple that has completed a tour lately with your organization that they were required to tip $20 per day to the guid and $10 each to the assistants.
Kindly advise why this is required from the tourists. I was a tour guid in RSA and this was not the norm.
Percival Fourie
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Kruger National Park by Alan Bishop
South Africa's game parks are not known for scenic beauty and that's not why you go. There is a lot of wildlife and although we saw herds of elephant, we did not see any predators at all. Unless the animals are close to the roads, you don't see them and being such a vast area, we did not see much variety. We only stayed in the south of the park at Berg-en-dal and the centre and north may be different.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Let down by inept and inexperienced tour leader
The tour was from Nairobi to Vic Falls. The driver and cook were terrific but the tour leader was inexperienced and failed to integrate those who went to Rwanda with her with those who joined later in Kenya. She just refused to manage any form of seat rotation which saw on a day where we were on the road for 16 hours, 6 newbies share just six seats while 9 others (who had been with the tour leader earlier, enjoyed sprawling out over 18 seats. Some having 4 seats to sleep across while 6 others sat upright in single seats with the bags under their feet. After the 16 hour day and the following 14 hour one, I suggested the tour leader enforce some type of seat rotation. Didn’t happen. Lots of other examples of her inexperience. She was also easily influenced by some of the travelers. She would give instructions only to have a couple of strong characters challenge her plans and more often than not she would give in and accommodate their complaints. One example of her favouring some of the travelers was when she dragged out of a bar a couple when they were 5 minuets late for dinner but 3 nights later, one of her “gang” was 20 minutes late for the evening meal so she had a plate made up and kept warm for him. The truck was getting on a bit and the tents/mattresses are a bit tired. But overall the trip is good value but would benefit greatly by having an experienced tour leader. The food was great. The tours fantastic as were the game drives.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Lake Mburo National Park by Erika
Lake Mburo wasn't as beautiful as other parts of Uganda but we had just come from "the Lakes" area of the country so we had a rather skewed view. Lake Mburo has a lot of zebras and antelope, which were fun to see. It's a good stopover between Bwindi and Kampala, but probably not someplace I would go out of my way to see.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome destination with beautiful Wildlife.
We were 4 days camping in Etosha with a private guide. The guide was good and the wildlife was beautiful. We were lucky to see lots of animals very close (e.g. 50+ elephants at a waterhole and a leopard next to the car) and always felt safe. I would always recommend a guided tour as the guides know at what time to be certain places to see the animals you want to get.
The camping part of the tour was not that good (which was organized by an organization for us).We were staying just outside the park in a camp which was quite good. Unfortunately our sleeping bags were to thin so that we were freezing at night. Additionally the food was really ‘basic’ (packet soup, backed beans, packet salat etc.) so that we ended up buying a bigger lunches by ourself at the camp when stoping there for a break at noon. We only got a ‘normal’ car (not a 4x4) to drive around the park. A 4x4 is not absolutely necessary, but I would recommend it because is a lot for comfortable (with luggage and camping gear we needed to squeeze in) and there are some places we had to skip as you need a 4x4 to get there.
To sum it up I would give 5 stars to the wildlife and the park itself. The overall impression for us was only diminished by the not properly organized camping experience.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Driver, guide and cook were excellent. ATC cut our guide loose 2 days early and the trip fell apart.
What started out as the trip of a lifetime ended in frustration. Our safe wasn't emptied and car keys were left behind. No big deal right? Drop them in snail mail and take care of your customer who spent thousands on the trip. Months went by and finally a rude email arrived saying that they wouldn't send me my keys. Such a small gesture left a really bad taste in my mouth. Once they get your money, they're done with you.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Arranged for us a walk and helicopter tour of Victoria Falls, cruise on the Zambzi River and a safar
The tours themselves were great, however we were unprepared for the realities. No one told us to bring flashlights,towels and soap for our camping trip. We were not prepared for the primitive nature of our camping. We expected glamping and got a bed on the ground with a very thin foam and very shallow pit toilets. While we enjoyed the safari vey much we would not have chosen that type of accommodation. Better preparation for travellers is essential.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well, It was a little bit disappointed
This company is based in South Africa but our trip was to Okavango, Chobe, and Victoria fall. So they subcontracted the local lodges and travel agent in Botswana and Zambia. If you're lazy traveller like me. I don't recommend this company since I didn't pay much attentions to the detail plan. Actually the 3 nights in Okavango delta with 6 times game drives were too much. Even safari guide got bored. :-(. In Chobe it was great lodge and safari. but in Vcitoria fall, the travel agency was strange. They didn't tell or provide water for 2 hour walking with 40 degree weather. We didn't know that it was walking tour. Also, each time we need to confirm the plans and car ride.
Communication with this company was difficult. When I called them, they didn't know about my itinerary and just said "we gave this to another contractor". what a surprise!!! only communication is email but sometimes we need to talk!!!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good agency, poor driver
This was the second time we went to Kenya with Aardwolf. Just like the first time we had a good contact with Esther. The itinerary was custom made. All the accomodations where great. The accomodation in Tsavo west (voyager ziwani) was also great, but to far from the gamedrive surrounding. This time we had David as a driver. From the ten drivers we have had in Africa, this was the worst. He didn't seem to like it and did as less as possible (this was the opposite of our other driver James of this company in 2016). Also he didn't know his way at all. When the itinerary says full day game drive, David makes it a half day. He only drives on the main roads foreward and back and never takes the gamedrive loops there are. There was every day a discussion about the itinerary. So when you book with this company make sure everything in the itinerary is very clear and make sure you don't get David as a driver. They have better drivers and you will have a good trip with Aardwolf.